Drip-catcher for refrigerators



'. B. BATES.

DRIP FOR REFRIGERATORS. APPLI .FILED MAR. 29, 1919.

1 349, 3 1 4, Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

INVEN TOR A TTURNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DRIP-CATCI-IER FOR REFRIGERATORS.

Application filed March 29, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUoUs'r B. Barns, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Washington, in the District of Columbia,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drip-0atchers forRefrigerators, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates particularly to drip catchers forrefrigerators, my object being the provision of a simple, inexpensivearrangement for catching the drip of refrigerators, which will obviatethe removing and emptying of pans now commonly used for this purpose.

Generally speaking, my invention proposes a drip catcher theconstruction and nature of which will effect an evaporation of the wastewater and in this way avoid the necessity of its removaland dischargefrom metal pans as ordinarily used for this purpose.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating my present invention, andforming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a perspective view showing the preferred form of thisstructure,

Fig. 2 is a cross section therethrough illustrating the use of a pan ortray,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of theinvention, and

Fig. 41 is a transverse section through still another modified form.

Referringnow to these figures and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, myinvention proposes a drip structure the body 10 of which is formed ofsome suitable porous material as, for instance, plaster of Paris, thebody being generally rectangular in shape and having an upstanding ledgearound its edges, forming a shallow basin-like drip receiving surface at11. The entire under surface of the body 10 is formed with a multitudeof extending vanes or fins as seen at 12 so as to thus produce a greatlyincreased radiating surface and in this way bring about maximumevaporation. These vanes or fins 12 may of course be of varying numherand "size, depending upon the area of the body 10, the neededevaporationsurface being in proportion to the size of the melting ice and the timerequired for it to melt.

As seen in Fig. 2, I may employ a shallow tray 13 of a size adapting thesame to fit within the basin-like receiving surface 11 of the body 10,preferably formed of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920. Serial No. 286,032.

same material as the body 10, and adapted to act more or less as afilter, preventing vegetable or other matter from descending onto thebody 10 of the drip catcher from the refrigerator, which might otherwisebe calculated to clog up the pores of the ma terial of which the bodylO'is formed.

As seen in Fig. 3, I may utilize a body 14 of porous material within ametal or other tray 15, the body 14:, like the body 10, having aplurality of fins or vanes 16 increasing its area of radiation to thedesired point.

As seen in Fig. l, moreover, the body 17 may be entirely surrounded byfins or vanes 18, one of which is seen in side view, so that the vanesor fins project above and below, as well as beyond opposite sides of thebody, the latter having ledges 19, of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2,which form a basinlike receiving surface.

It is thus obvious that my invention provides a simple, inexpensive dripcatcher which may be placed beneath the refrigerator, and will therebynot only avoid the usual necessity of frequent emptying of the dripreceptacle, but will assist the action of the refrigerator to the extentof its tendency to cool the surrounding air, liquid evaporationproducing lowering temperature, as is well known.

I claim 1. A drip catcher for refrigerators and the like, having ashallow body adapted to be positioned beneath a refrigerator, said bodybeing formed of a porous material and provided with a plurality ofextending fins whereby to increase its radiation for evaporatingpurposes.

2. A. drip catcher for refrigerators and the like, provided with a dripreceiving surface and having a shallow body adapted to be positionedbeneath a refrigerator, said body being formed of a porous material andprovided with a plurality of extending fins to increase its surface ofradiation, for the purpose described.

3. A drip catcher for refrigerators and the like, having a shallow bodyadapted to be positioned beneath a refrigerator, said body being formedof a porous material and provided with an upper surrounding ledgeforming a shallow basin-like receiving surface, and having extendingfins whereby to increase the surface of radiation, for the purposedescribed.

4. A drip catcher for refrigerators and ioo the like, ha be positionebody bei and provl 5 fins, the upper por ing a drip receiving '5. A dripcatcher ng formed of a ving a shallow body adapted to the like, havingits body formed of a porous d beneath a refrigerator, said material andprovided with extending fins,

porous material and a drip receiving tray formed of similar 10 ded Witha plurality of extending material to the said body and disposed upontion'of the said body havthe upper surface thereof, for the purposedescribed.

for refrigerators and AUGUST BUESING BATES.

